Global fund hails corruption conviction

Uganda news round-up: Ugandan official jailed for embezzlement; UN and charities accused of promoting "abnormal" homosexuality; Circumcision used in battle against HIV and health ministry calls for increase in funding

International funding body the Global Fund says the conviction last week of a Ugandan official who embezzled Sh120 million of its HIV/Aids funding in 2005 is a clear signal that corruption will no longer be tolerated in Uganda.

Last week former government official Teddy Ssezi Cheeye was sentenced to 10 years in Uganda's Luzira Prison by the Anti-Corruption Court for forgery and embezzlement of funds destined for HIV/Aids, Malaria and TB programmes across the country.

In an email exchange with Uganda's Daily Monitor newspaper, the Global Fund, the world's largest funder of Malaria, TB and HIV/Aids programmes, said it was "pleased" with the ongoing prosecutions of those officials charged with stealing from the fund.

"We believe that this conviction shows that Uganda is a country based on the rule of law and that this firm action sends a signal that corruption is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in Uganda. This is very positive," said Jon Liden, spokesperson for the fund.

Cheeye's sentencing comes three weeks after the conviction of former Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) employee, Freddie Kavuma, to five years in jail on similar charges.

Several other high profile officials are also implicated in the Global Fund corruption scandal, including three former health ministers.

Two directors of Valued Health Limited are due to appear before the Anti-Corruption Court on charges of embezzling over Sh18 million, money meant to be poured into medical research and development for malaria, TB and HIV/Aids medication.

UN and charities promoting "abnormal" homosexuality

A government minister has accused Unicef of promoting homosexuality in schools. Photograph: Dan Chung

The Ugandan government has accused Unicef, the UN's children's agency, and western human rights groups of promoting "abnormal, unhealthy and unnatural" homosexuality in schools across the country.

James Nsaba Buturo, the ethics and integrity minister, said this week that groups including Unicef, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Frontline Human Rights Defenders, were involved in a "racket" to spread homosexuality in the local population.

"Those behind this abnormal, unhealthy, unnatural as well as illegal lifestyle have argued that legalising homosexuality would be a human right and in defence of freedom," he said.

"Ten years ago, Unicef helped in funding and distributing books to schools, which books were unknown to the Ministry of Education and were popularising homosexuality."

As reported in New Vision newspaper, Buturo said he had written to the education minister to protest against Unicef's actions.

Buturo said the government was unequivocally against homosexuality and that calls to legalise same-sex marriage in Uganda was a "threat to human civilisation".

Uganda is one of 70 countries across the world where homosexuality is against the law. Any person convicted of homosexual practices in Uganda can be sentenced to life in prison under strict legislation.

Buturo is now calling for the government to enact a more comprehensive law that makes the promotion of homosexuality and membership to homosexual groups also illegal.

Circumcision used in battle against HIV

The use of male circumcision to help fight rising HIV/Aids infections in Uganda is set to become official government policy by the end of 2009.

A draft Medical Male Circumcision (MMC) policy is expected to be finalised by December and will form part of the country's national HIV/Aids prevention strategy.

"The policy will be part of the abstinence, be faithful and condom use (ABC) strategy for HIV prevention. This will ensure that male circumcision is performed by experienced practitioners in sterile settings under conditions of informed consent, confidentiality, risk reduction, counseling and safety", said Dr Alex Opio, assistant commissioner of health services.

Clinical trials in 2007 indicated that circumcision reduced the risk of contracting HIV by 60%.

A task force was launched earlier this month to help shape policy, which will encourage Ugandans to voluntarily visit health centres for the medical procedure.

The task force will also work on strategies to raise awareness about how circumcision can help prevent HIV as well as looking at whether Uganda has sufficient resources and medical staff to carry out a large-scale circumcision campaign.

Health ministry needs Sh1.3 trillion to boost failing health system

The health ministry says it needs over Sh1 trillion to improve the country's failing health system in the next financial year.

The money is required to help boost medicines and health supplies, increase the salaries of medical workers and construct and equip hospitals and health centres.

"If we are to provide the Uganda National Minimum Health Care Package this coming financial year we need Shs1.3 trillion. We are still discussing with the budget desk of ministry of finance to see what levels they can raise,'' says Francis Runumi, commissioner for planning in the Ministry of Health in an interview with Uganda's Daily Monitor newspaper.

The ministry says that on its existing budgets it can only spend Shs50,000 per person on health, way below the recommended minimum amount of Shs120,000.

Runumi pointed to an endemic shortage of health workers and problems paying salaries of existing professionals within the health system as a major obstacle to improving healthcare in Uganda.

"The few available staff is overworked, they have low motivation and exhibit inefficiencies in performance,'" he said.

He also said that while the ministry requires Shs500 billion for essential medicines alone, only Shs140 billion had been allocated in the latest financial year budgets.